One Time Valentine
by StuckintheAbyss
Summary: One-shot. After years of self-pity and regret, Hermione's spirits are lifted by a surprising visitor.


[A.N: Hello there, I'm Heloise and this is my first Harry Potter Fan Fiction (so don't hate!) I know it's not amazing but I've had the idea for a long time now and thought that with Valentines Day coming up I'd write a little something. I feel it's now as good as it's ever going to be, so without further ado... ]

**One Time Valentine**

1826 days. Had it really been that long? It pained me to think of how many pointless deaths occurred that year, that day even. It's over now though, I have to accept that. Ever since the war I've never stopped losing people, each would try to help me then give in and leave. All my friends, my family- gone. Driven away because I'm still haunted by the past.

Consequently I spend everyday alone, including those 'special' days: Christmas, birthdays, Easter, Halloween and especially Valentines day. Who would want to spend it with me, a magical freak that still has nightmares of flashing lights, curses and screaming...

Truthfully- I hate it. I want to be like the others, Harry, Ginny and Ron. They all moved on in what seemed like a heartbeat, while I was left to mourn. Of course I tried dating, me and Ron attempted it a few times but he left me, he said I was bringing him down. From the day we split to now he remains a light dater, a bachelor. Harry Potter on the other hand settled down the moment chance arose, him and Ginny have been married three years and as far as I know, are blissfully happy.

I have a life I suppose, meaning I'm employed. I work and live in the muggle world, sheltered from what I once knew. My workplace is a small library, the pay is- as can be expected- low however my great desire for silence is fulfilled. As I've said, my social life is booming. All the books and sitting in solitude by the fire leaves me pretty booked-up.  
>Any spare time I have (generally a good 5 hours) I occupy by wallowing in self-pity; licking my wounds then ripping the open. Great way to live I reckon.<p>

The minutes dragged by, 1o'clock, 2o'clock. Suddenly in the pit of my stomach, a tingly sensation, a contented feeling surfaced. So out of the blue, so unexpected. A few seconds later the door bell rang. As startled as I was to be jolted out my revere, I got up to answer it. I flung it open and when I saw the empty space my eyebrow twitched- kids probably. My irritation evident, I shut the door, only something was jammed in the space. I stared at it. Finally I felt the nagging urge to retrieve it though my head warned me against it. Old impulses trying to protect me from foolish curiosity; it could be cursed, or even a bomb. Shaking the paranoid thoughts out of my mind, I lent down, picked it up and locked the door. Examining the package, turning it over and over in my hands, wonder started to over-take me.

"Open it."  
>I spun in my seat. I knew that voice from long, long ago.<br>"Who's there?" Panic entered my voice without permission and I silently reprimanded my own weakness. No reply. I resolved to think I was hearing things and added it to the list of reasons why I'm still single.

Then my eyes bulged, on the parcel in front of me words formed.  
>'To Hermione Jane Granger,<br>Time heals nothing and forgetting doesn't mend regrets.'

"Who?" I was completely speechless and unable to decide if I should be angry at the writer for prying.  
>"Open it."<br>An order, one I couldn't refuse any longer. I swiftly tore open the box and wrapping paper. Inside was a green and silver box with a blood red clasp. The colours stirred something deep inside me, something I wouldn't succumb to, so I proceeded.  
>The 'box' contained a jumble of velvet bags. Enclosed in the first were four figurines: a lion, a raven, a serpent and a badger. The lion held a position of attack, eyes glaring, body tense. I inspected the Raven next, it peered at me, still but as if it was silently judging me with intelligent orbs. The serpent unnerved me, its tongue out to form what would be a hiss. I picked up the badger, which looked much more friendly, with welcoming paws and a trusting expression.<br>'What the hell is going on?' I did the only sensible thing, started to panic.  
>In another smaller bag, a tatty school badge with a familiar crest. At this my eyes flooded with tears. Another revealed two flasks, I gasped when realization washed over me. In the first was a brown, thick, gruesome looking substance- mud. The other, red, sickening blood.<p>

After this I was left in no doubt who was contacting me.  
>"Malfoy."<br>"Hello Granger."  
>There he stood, tall, proud and smirking. Once again I did the only practical thing the situation allowed, I fainted.<br>-x-x-x-

"Granger! Granger"  
>Slowly, my eye-lids fluttered open and everything came back to me. I jumped to my feet, regretting so the moment I did as it made me go dizzy.<p>

"What are you doing here? I groaned at him, confused beyond belief. Determined to be hostile, but struggling in my current condition.

"I came to see an old friend, but your welcome tells me you're unhappy to see me."

"Excuse me, I'm in shock. I cannot fathom why you've decided to miss me all of a sudden." I ignored his sarcasm purely to get to the bottom of this mystery.

"Urgh, don't get ahead of yourself. I said nothing of the sort."

"You insinuated it well enough, now if you don't mind I have work to get back to..." And with that ingenious comeback I scuttled back to the comfort of my armchair. Contented to continue pretending to do something with my life.

"Stop right there. I didn't come here to fight with you." I froze. Malfoy's transformation was the talk of the wizarding world for months after the final battle, how he had deserted the remaining death eaters and joined the ministry. People with connections like the order however, were a lot less forgiving with him. A irritating voice in the back of my head said 'maybe he had 'changed' after all'.  
>"You can't keep pretending Hermione." His genuine sadness suffocated me. I wanted to slap him, yell at him, curse him, anything. But I couldn't.<br>"You need to let go, there's no need to hurt yourself for what's happened in the past."

"Shut up!" There it was, I screeched the words at him. Begging him to be quiet to leave me be. He had no right to waltz into my life after years of bullying and unkindness.

"Just give me one chance. Please." I looked up at him through my tears, puzzled.  
>"I want to make you smile. I may have hated you for years, but under false principles. My father, my whole world back then was poison. I want to prove to you there's something left of what you knew. I need you to be happy, because no one else will be until you are."<p>

I was dumbstruck, lost for words, powerless against his talents. I'd heard the stories of swooning women and flirtatious bimbos, it never occurred to me I might become one. From within his bottle green robes, he drew a wand- a different one I noticed from what he had during the battle of Hogwarts. Ever so slightly, he motioned with it and the serpent and lion figurines leapt from their places on my coffee table, floating in midair. Another flick, and they joined, twisting around each other in a slow, mesmerizing dance. My expression remained the same (though my insides were twisting as much as the animals had), perhaps he noticed this for he sighed and made one last attempt to convince me.  
>"Go out with me, just for today and I promise if I can't change how you feel just slightly, I'll be out of your life for good. We all will, so you can live a lonely muggle life and die a depressed muggle lady."<p>

I was stunned although not opposed to the proposal. Despite my doubts, proving Draco Malfoy wrong was something I once devoted my absolute being to. Why not? I had the day off, I'd only be miserable if I refused.  
>If he was winning before, he had a 100% chance after his next sentence.<p>

"I'll be your one time valentine."  
>I was his.<p>

-x- -x-

[A.N: How was it? Not too bad I hope. I'd really appreciate a review if you have the time. Praise and constructive criticism is welcomed obviously; any flames will be either responded to venomously or simply deleted. I plan on writing much more now my real GCSE exams are over until June. It's mainly finding the time when I'm actually in the mood for it. Writing is something I've always loved and I've prayed many a time to just be given the talent straight away- as of yet that hasn't happened. Loads of ideas are buzzing around my head at the moment, so much so I'm finding it hard to concentrate on anything but them. Anyway, I've rattled on too much- bye! xx ]


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